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Good question. PagePlus is an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator). This means that PagePlus can resell Verizon service, program phones, provide customer service for people who get a prepaid phone with them. Verizon tends to be pickier than other carriers on allowing MVNO arrangements...while for instance you will see many MVNO's for AT&T/Cingular and other carriers, you can probably count the number of Verizon MVNO's on the fingers of one hand. Thinking CDMA Tracfones in some areas, PagePlus, Locus CDMA, Lucky Wireless, some American Wireless business resellers like CT Telephone; may be a few more. Someone from PagePlus can likely answer this more completely than I can.

PagePlus pays Verizon and Verizon provides cellular service to PagePlus customers. (This is why Amp'd is no longer around - they didn't pay Verizon.) Verizon makes money by trading network capacity for cash and not having to deal with PagePlus customers, PagePlus makes money by keeping overhead costs low and getting the cash up from from their prepaid customers (the other mistake Amp'd made) and selling service for more than they're paying for it.

The viability of the MVNO business model has yet to be determined. ESPN Mobile and Disney Mobile and Amp'd were spectacular failures, Tracfone makes money hand over fist, and PagePlus seems to be doing well. Sticking to the model of "sell basic service to customers who pay in cash" seems to work well.

As far as roaming, that's between the MVNO and Verizon. Verizon will provide whatever coverage the MVNO is willing to pay for. I can say that I've been in places where Verizon customers didn't have service but my Tracfone that uses a Verizon home system did have service.

The viability of the MVNO market is well determined, and the well run ones are the future of the business.

I agree, the MVNO business model, ie Page Plus, works very well, while the Amp'd game's plan fizzled (mailing due to lack of cash flow)

Has anyone out there heard of or used Lucky Wireless. I have recently started offering them in my store in addition to Page Plus. I love them. They have hybird price plans like $29.95 per month gets you 150 day time minutes and 3000 nights & weekends. They operate on the Verizon Network as well, but thier nights start at 7pm.

Anyone have good or bad to mention on Lucky so I can be prepared for issues or questions. A Google Search does not provide much info on Lucky. Thanks!

The most to the point answer is this. Verizon has normal Verizon contract service for people who are willing to spend a lot of money, and Inpuse for people who are easy to trick into thinking they are saving a lot of money.

This leaves them completely out of the "people who are willing to spend time researching to find the best deal" market, and they want this group's money too, they are a business after all. If they started the "Verizon for people who are willing to spend time researching to find the best deal" plan, the normal Verizon customers would switch over to it.

So they sell expensive service under the Verizon name, let PP and other MVNOs sell service under other names, and they collect money from as many customer bases as possible.

The most to the point answer is this. Verizon has normal Verizon contract service for people who are willing to spend a lot of money, and Inpuse for people who are easy to trick into thinking they are saving a lot of money.

This leaves them completely out of the "people who are willing to spend time researching to find the best deal" market, and they want this group's money too, they are a business after all. If they started the "Verizon for people who are willing to spend time researching to find the best deal" plan, the normal Verizon customers would switch over to it.

So they sell expensive service under the Verizon name, let PP and other MVNOs sell service under other names, and they collect money from as many customer bases as possible.

Anyone have good or bad to mention on Lucky so I can be prepared for issues or questions. A Google Search does not provide much info on Lucky. Thanks!

I've dealt with Lucky for a couple of years. Their customer service is a bit spotty, but improving. One great thing for your customers is the ability to move up or down in plan minutes from month to month. One disadvantage for users has been the policy of disconnecting a number completely if the due date passes. I've heard rumors that there is now a grace period, but am not sure. Make sure you know--customers get really unhappy. They still will, but if you put it in writing, it should end most arguments!

Another great thing about Lucky service is that it seems to piggyback on the regular VZW Nationwide plan network, including roaming partners. Unlike PagePlus, you won't be charged roaming in most non VZW native areas. My experience has been that it acts much like the original America's Choice plans and will charge roaming only when dealing with non-preferred roaming partners.

I have noticed that Pageplus unlike inpulse (which may have changed lately) can roam on Sprint network if there is no verizon tower around?

To answer the original question.... Verizon lets Page Plus use their network because the FCC requires network operators to allow resellers to use their networks (that's what they told us in a training class when I worked at Verizon Wireless). It has to do with competition in the wireless market, since there are relatively few actual network operators.

When I was working at Verizon, I didn't realize how many resellers were out there, otherwise I would have asked "why does Sprint have so many resellers on its network, where Verizon has so few?" It must be that Verizon charges resellers more than Sprint does, and I'm not sure if what they charge is controlled by the FCC or not. Maybe somebody on here has the facts?

I've dealt with Lucky for a couple of years. Their customer service is a bit spotty, but improving. One great thing for your customers is the ability to move up or down in plan minutes from month to month. One disadvantage for users has been the policy of disconnecting a number completely if the due date passes. I've heard rumors that there is now a grace period, but am not sure. Make sure you know--customers get really unhappy. They still will, but if you put it in writing, it should end most arguments!

Another great thing about Lucky service is that it seems to piggyback on the regular VZW Nationwide plan network, including roaming partners. Unlike PagePlus, you won't be charged roaming in most non VZW native areas. My experience has been that it acts much like the original America's Choice plans and will charge roaming only when dealing with non-preferred roaming partners.

I agree, however many of my customers have found managing minutes with Lucky very confusing. And it became a headache for the retail end especially when a prepaid customer is allowed to talk his or her minutes. And the 29 cent overage rates are crazy.

lucky

overage is $0.10 for the 1st 100 each month then $.29 but they do let you go over, some of our customers like it but some don't. of course most of our customers just want something for free. but i can confirm that they give customers now like 20 days to pay their bill before the number is lost but i know it was less before.

Another great thing about Lucky service is that it seems to piggyback on the regular VZW Nationwide plan network, including roaming partners. Unlike PagePlus, you won't be charged roaming in most non VZW native areas. My experience has been that it acts much like the original America's Choice plans and will charge roaming only when dealing with non-preferred roaming partners.

That depends. I have been in an area that is a NON vzw native area. It showed a Verizon sid and didn't roam. This was with page plus.

This may be true. Perhaps Page Plus is not allowed (under the contract it has with Verizon) to divulge this fact ???

They may not have update the coverage map. I know verizon has installed new towers along the Indiana/Ohio boarder. So it is possibe that Verizon has towers in that area now and that it why it did not roam. The towers if it has enough power does not have to be located in town. I think they are allowed to increase the power of cell towers in certain locations.